uAvionix and ForeFlight have announced the availability of Scout, which is a “revolutionary portable, dual-band ADS-B receiver” that provides inflight weather and traffic information to ForeFlight’s Mobile app in the “smallest, most elegant form-factor on the market.”
There is no hardware to assemble, no software to download and nothing to configure in order to set up and use Scout. Instead, all a user has to do is position Scout on any window surface using its ball-joint and suction cup mounting system, plug it into a power surface, and fly whatever aircraft is being flown.
Any five volt Micro-USB power source can power Scout, including rechargeable USB batteries or existing USB chargers installed in aircraft.
Technology
Technology
Roborace showcases world’s first driverless electric racing car in New York City
The world’s first driverless electric racing car, the Robocar, made its debut in the United States on Friday, July 14, as it was showcased in Times Square in New York City.
“We’re thrilled to mark Roborace’s U.S. debut with a showcase of our beautiful Robocar in the iconic Times Square,” said Denis Sverdlov, CEO of Roborace.
“Driverless and electric technologies will be extremely important in cities like New York City, and Roborace is bringing them into the public’s consciousness.”
Drobotron dubbed world’s first digital “drone billboard”
A UAS with a 40″ x 10” full color Lumenix 360 Display Sign attached to it is believed to be the world’s first digital “drone billboard.”
Developed by Central Floridian Bobby Watts, the UAS, known as the Drobotron DL1200 drone, is used to display video clips, still photos and text.
Via an article from ClickOrlando.com, Watts, who is licensed by the FAA to fly UAS commercially, explains what led to him coming up with this innovative use of drone technology.
“No matter where I go and fly a drone, everyone looks up at it. We've even been to the Cape filming rockets, and people will turn around from the rocket and look at our drones,” Watts says.
Naviator hybrid unmanned vehicle completes first air/water drone inspection of high value assets
On June 18, the first combination aerial and underwater bridge inspection was successfully conducted on the Delaware Memorial Bridge Twin Spans, using a hybrid unmanned vehicle called the Naviator, which can fly and swim.
The inspection was a result of a collaborative effort that included the Delaware River Bay Authority (DRBA), Rutgers University-New Brunswick (RU-NB) and SubUAS LLC.
All parties involved with the inspection have high praises for the Naviator unmanned vehicle, and believe that the vehicle can be a gamechanger for a lot of industries moving forward.
NBC Connecticut unveils DroneRanger fleet for newsgathering
NBC Connecticut/WVIT have unveiled “Connecticut’s only fleet of top-of-the-line UAS drones for broadcast,” known as DroneRanger.
The fleet will be used to capture “exclusive, close-up views of local breaking news and weather events that take place throughout the market,” with the goal of ultimately enhancing the station’s local news and weather coverage.
“Drone technology allows us to apply a unique perspective to every aspect of news coverage,” says Susan Tully, President and General Manager of NBC Connecticut.
Spring Hill Police Department in Tennessee acquires UAS
The Spring Hill Police Department (SHPD) in Spring Hill, Tennessee has purchased a UAS to assist with a variety of missions, including providing an aerial view of major traffic crash scenes and HAZMAT incidents, helping to search for missing children, and tracking a suspect on the run.
The UAS, which has a “Small UAS Certificate of Registration” from the FAA, will also be used to examine storm water drainage issues, roadway construction projects, and school traffic dynamics.
In a press release published on July 12, Police Chief Don Brite explained the benefits of this technology.
West Sacramento “kicking the tires” on idea of driverless shuttle bus
With the city of West Sacramento reportedly “kicking the tires” on the idea of using a driverless shuttle bus according to CBS Sacramento, an Easymile-manufactured EZ10 driverless shuttle bus was demonstrated on July 11 by city officials in West Sacramento and the makers of an autonomous vehicle company called Transdev, which operates the vehicle.
Capable of holding 12 passengers, and described as a “train but with virtual tracks,” the EZ10 shuttle runs on battery, and has a battery life of about 10 hours, depending on “how hot of a day and how much air conditioning is being pushed through it,” says Dick Alexander, vice president of Transdev.
Logos Technologies’ Redkite WAMI sensor successfully tested aboard TigerShark UAS
Logos Technologies has announced that its Redkite wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor was successfully tested aboard the Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation (NASC) developed tactical UAS called TigerShark.
The flight, which was conducted on behalf of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), once again showcased the versatility of Redkite to be mounted on, and successfully operated from, a plethora of airborne platforms.
“We’ve had Redkite on planes and helicopters, and just recently we tested an integrated version of the WAMI sensor inside the payload bay of a Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS),” says John Marion, president of Logos Technologies.
SenseFly introduces free service package to keep UAS operators working
SenseFly has announced its new “Always On” free service package, which is designed to ensure business continuity by keeping professional UAS operators working.
Thanks to the “Always On” service package, which according to senseFly, provides operators “with an advanced level of professional support and peace of mind,” if a customer has a hardware problem with their eBee Plus UAS, they can have that UAS replaced within 48 hours, for free and with no questions asked.
The “Always On” service package, which is available as a bundle option alongside every new eBee Plus UAS purchase, extends the limited warranty from one to two years for the eBee Plus, and it includes free scheduled services and free battery replacements as well.